Frooti, Maaza soon to face competition from Pulse

Noida-based DS Group, the maker of Catch, Pass Pass and Pulse candy, is now planning to take on brands such as Frooti, Maaza and Slice with a ready-to-drink mango beverage called Pulse Mango, Masala Maar Ke.John Sarkar | TNN | September 17, 2016, 08:33 IST

NEW DELHI: Pulse candy, which disrupted the domestic confectionary market and wooed consumers with its fruity taste peaking in a tangy burst, has another surprise up its sleeve. Noida-based DS Group, the maker of Catch, Pass Pass and Pulse candy, is now planning to take on brands such as Frooti, Maaza and Slice with a ready-to-drink mango beverage called Pulse Mango, Masala Maar Ke.

The drink, a brand extension of Pulse cand , priced at Rs 15 for a 250 ml PET bottle, is being test marketed in Delhi NCR, said Shashank Surana, senior VP (new product development) at DS Group. “The test marketing activity is being supported by sampling and displays and the initial consumer feedback is very encouraging,“ he said.

Compared with the Rs 14,500-crore Indian soft drink market, the juice category is valued at about Rs 5,000 crore with a year-on-year growth rate of around 15%. It includes beverages such as Maaza by Coca-Cola, Frooti by Parle Agro, Slice and Nimbooz by PepsiCo and Paper Boat Aam Panna of Hector Beverages. Interestingly , mango dominates with about 80% share of the market.

The Rs 7,700-crore DS Group conglomerate, with interests in tobacco, F&B and agro forestry , had enjoyed several successful brand extensions earlier. The `Catch' brand -under which it launched tabletop salt and pepper dispensers in 1987 -went on to sell flavoured water, soda and ginger ale later. Its mouth freshener brand `Pass Pass' was repositioned in 2012 to sell a wider portfolio of confectionary products such as chewing gums and mints.

“Extending a successful brand offers higher odds of success than building a new brand," said Joydeep Bhattacharya, partner, Bain & Company . “In India, global brands such as Axe, Dove (in personal care) and Maggi (in foods) have extended to related categories, Park Avenue has extended to deos, soaps shampoos from apparel.“

As reported by TOI in April, Pulse candy had reached Rs 100 crore within eight months of its launch, equalling the record of Coke Zero, Coca-Cola's diet drink.

Maaza leads the Mango category , with Slice and Frooti holding the second and third position, revealed data from Euromonitor.